3.31.2015

Miscellaneous

The primary president invited a few of the new families in the ward over for Sunday Sundaes.

Alex has a summer birthday so they celebrated his half birthday at school. Except there was another half birthday around the beginning of February so they celebrated his 7/12ths birthday.

After dropping off Alex at school, Edison, Declan, and I headed to the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. It was cold and windy but we enjoyed walking around the beautiful temple.

I am in a few mom groups now. One of them is a chapter of an international mom group called MOMS Club. We went on a tour of Houston Dairymaids. We got to taste all different kinds of cheeses. Some of them were very strong but I liked most of them.

I hosted Book Club for the Houston Moms group. Only one person showed up! I made so many snacks. I want to strangle people who RSVP and then no show. While I am at it, I will also strangle people who do not RSVP at all.

Emily and Amanda

We were late to church one week so we listened to sacrament meeting in the Relief Society room. And I took a picture because at least it makes the kids hold still for a minute.

We met the Kellys when we lived in Utah. Rachel was the very first person I met at church on our very first week. She started writing books, they bought an RV, and now they drive around the country promoting Colorworld Books at Comic Conventions. They were driving through Houston so they stayed for one night at our house. The boys were thrilled to have friends over right when they woke up in the morning.

It rained almost all morning so the kids were going crazy inside. The rain stopped for a few minutes and they headed outside.

The Kellys got on the road at 2:30pm. We got in trouble for having their RV parked in front of our house. I told them they could block our neighbor's driveway because I knew he was gone to the Philippines for six months but someone complained. Oh well, they were packing up when the cops showed up anyway.

The torrential downpour continued into the afternoon but I had to go to the store because...

...the Laws were coming over for dinner. We played games after the boys went to bed.

Sam wants to get a bike to ride to work. We all went to Walmart together but the boys were crazy so he did not really get a chance to look at bikes.

We met a friend at the park to play for a few hours. The kids were frozen so we did not last long. We are getting soft here in the Texas "cold."

My library superheroes!

We went to the dentist and it was not good. Edison needs one filling and Alex needs four fillings and a root canal. We brush and floss every single day. I despise going to the dentist.

Alex helped me make a pumpkin pie for Pi Day.

Our ward had a chili cook-off and karaoke activity. I brought my favorite chili and was hopeful but not expecting to win because I have been disappointed before.

But I won! Woohoo! I was so excited that I actually bowed. I am a dork.

After dinner, karaoke started. They invited all of the kids up for one round of Let It Go. They did not want kids requesting it all night long so they did it with the whole group.

I am way too much of a scaredy cat to do karaoke but Sam has plenty of experience so he got up and sang Piano Man.

We went to a toddler play date with MOMS Club.

Toddler time at the library works out perfectly for our schedule of picking up Alex from school. We can go to toddler time, read books for about 45 minutes, and then walk next door to pick up Alex from school. I miss having him at the library with us though.

A new family moved into the ward so Susan and I met up with them at a park. The Hawkins have kids the same age as our kids so I am sure we will be seeing a lot more of them.

Susan and baby Levi

A lady was fishing off of the dock and she let the kids touch her live bait.

I babysat Emma and Eli that night because it was Laura's birthday. She called to ask me to babysit while I was at the dentist so they came over right when I got home and my mouth was numb. I was drooling and mumbling. Not my finest moment.

I had to take Edison to the dentist so Brittany watched Declan during the appointment. We stayed to play for a little while after we got back.

The Houston Moms group was supposed to meet up at the Memorial City Mall play area but no one else showed up. The boys still loved playing there. I have noticed that Texas likes having The World's Largest Everything. This is the world's largest mall playground.

We had coupons for free cookies so each boy got to choose a cookie on our way out.

We learned that Bahama Buck's was started in Texas and there are two near our house. I am addicted to Bahama Buck's. Declan seems to have inherited my love for this nectar.

Chelsey had her baby! I went over to their apartment one night to meet baby Hudson. He is so adorable. I wanted to snuggle him all night.

I took Edison to the pediatrician for his four-year-old well check-up. Later that day, he was telling Alex about the appointment and he said, "Alex, I went to the doctor and, guess what, she gowned me!"

These kids do not watch very much television. But when they do, they like to do it together and get totally zoned out.

There is always time to drive a toy car along the sidewalk. Very slowly. An inch at a time. No matter how far ahead Mom is. Declan is so spoiled.

Declan always locates this headgear no matter where it is hiding at Susan's house. Normally he puts it on backwards and peeks through the slit on the back.

Declan loves jamming out and singing at the piano.

My lucky 23-month-old got flipped forward facing. I let him turn a month early but I think he will be okay. He is looking like such a big boy now.

I saw these Dammit Dolls online so I had to get one for Olivia. Turns out I mailed it to her on her birthday. I am a terrible friend. If I don't write it down, I don't remember. And I did not have Livvy's birthday on my calendar. So sad.

The rest of these pictures are further evidence of Adorable.

Tiniest dog ever

Game Boy or phone?

The lizard catcher on the prowl

Oh, Edison.

We FaceTimed the Althoffs to wish Alyssa a happy birthday (a day late).

Other things:

Adam got into BYU. 8 for 8. All eight of my parents' children were accepted to BYU. We did not even grow up as a huge BYU family. I know it set a new trajectory for my life by going to BYU and I am glad my siblings had/are having that same experience.

Sam got hit by a car while he was out running one night. I told him to be careful multiple times before he left. He ran across an intersection right as a light for crossing traffic turned green. The car was still approaching the intersection so it had not slowed down. The car clipped Sam's foot and spun him so the side mirror hit his hip. Then the car drove away. It did not even stop. I am glad he made it home that night.

Declan said his first prayer on 3.22.15. He only said the final word of each sentence until Sam prompted, "In the name." Declan jumped in and said, "'Men!" (Amen)

We played at our neighborhood park on one beautiful night and the boys chased around the swooping bats as they gobbled bugs out of the sky. It was a magical night.

Declan fell off of the top bunkbed and managed to walk away just fine. It is a miracle that he did not hit the stairs.

I have two sisters-in-law expecting babies! Laura and Anna both announced this month that they are expecting babies in October.